Ash Wednesday

American  

noun

1. the first day of Lent.

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Ash Wednesday British  

noun

1. the first day of Lent, named from the practice of Christians of placing ashes on their heads as a sign of penitence

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Ash Wednesday Cultural  

1. The seventh Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent for most Christians (see also Christian); the day after “Fat Tuesday,” or Mardi Gras. It is frequently observed as a day of fasting and repentance for sin. In some churches, ashes are placed on the foreheads of worshipers on Ash Wednesday as a reminder of their mortality. The words of God to Adam in the Bible (see also Bible) are often used in the ceremony: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

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Usage

What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of fasting and penitence that precedes Easter in some branches of Christianity. Ash Wednesday gets its name from the tradition of placing ashes on worshippers’ foreheads as a sign of penitence and a reminder of their mortality.

Etymology

Origin of Ash Wednesday

First recorded in 1250–1300

Example Sentences

In the Ash Wednesday Mass, this bracing mandate is followed by a homily from the priest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

As a young lad growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Pittsburg, my school uniform consisted of corduroys the color of Ash Wednesday, a white dress shirt and a maroon V-neck sweater.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2025

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period in which Christians prepare for Easter.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025

Last week, Francis coughed repeatedly as he presided over Ash Wednesday services at a Roman church, and opted not to participate in the traditional procession that inaugurates the church’s Lenten season.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2024

They would stay there until next Ash Wednesday, when we would take the fronds to church, to have them burned for ash.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie